TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — KMT Chair Eric Chu said on Wednesday his party should not be distracted by power struggles when asked about rumors that members want him to step down.

The opposition party leader told CNA he would assume responsibility for dissatisfaction or anger directed at him. However, Chu added that it would be better to focus this energy on opposing the many DPP-supported recall campaigns against the party’s legislators.

Chu addressed the rumors after a protestor shouted at him to step down at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. The incident follows a Tuesday Mirror Media report that cited unnamed KMT party members who were reportedly unhappy Chu failed to prevent the recall campaigns.

The report stated that party members' dissatisfaction was stoked by the KMT’s former vice presidential candidate Jaw Shaw-kang (趙少康), who recently said he had "never seen such a weak opposition party.” The report said calls were growing among party members to replace Chu with Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕).

On Tuesday, Jaw said there was no need to remove the KMT’s chair, noting the party would hold an election for the role soon. He said Lu, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), KMT Caucus leader Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), and others would be suitable candidates.

Asked about these reports, Chu said that his task is to organize the party to promote legislation that improves people’s livelihoods. He said the party has made efforts to ensure its legislators targeted by recall campaigns can continue to serve their constituents.  

Chu also refuted a different report published Tuesday that claimed the KMT planned to introduce a motion of no confidence to remove the Cabinet. Chu said this was “pure rumor” and it had never been discussed within the party.